Sheet-feeding mechanism for tinning-pots.



E. K Nomow SHBBTTBBDING MBGHANISM Pon TNmNG' Poms.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.`12, 1911.

Patented Dec.3,1912.

E. K. NORTON. SHEET FEEDING MEOHANISM FOR TNNING POTS. O v

APPLICATION FILED 11111.12. 1911.

1,045,878 Patented 1)ec.3,1912.A

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l E. K. NORTON. SHEET FEEOING MBOHANISM POR TXNNING POTS. APPLICATION FILED JANJZ. 1911. 1,045,875 Patented DeO.3,1912.

3 BEBETS-SHEET 3.

N @Fitto i EDWEN KENNETH NURTGN. F NEV YORK, N. `Y.

SHEET-FEEDL'NG MECHANISM FOR TENNINGPCTS.

specification of Letters Patent'.

Patent-ed Bee.. i912. pplicaten tiled January i2, l. Serial No. $02,339.

Loes-ere To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known ythat l, EDWIN KENNETH NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing'at New York, in the county of New York, State of 'New York, have invented certain "tnfew and useful improvements in v Sheet-Feeding Mechanism for 'firming-Pots,

of which the'following is a descriptionj reft erence being had to the accompanying draw 1o" ing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for feeding sheets of steel in regular and uniform succession .to a tinningpot, and more especially to devices of the character4 shown and described in the patent granted to Edwin Norton and myself'Dece'mber 27th7 i910, No. 9795549.

f. n In feeding sheets of steel to a tinning pot,`

A2t)-k it is essential tothe mosty efficient operation ofA the tinning machine that the sheets of.

steel should be fed so that one will follow the other with only'asinall clearance space between the sheets, so that the oil-finishing rolls are kept constantly filled with the sheets of steel. Otherwise, when the oilfinishing rolls run in contacty with one another. said rolls become covered with patches of oil and scrutf7 which will be transferred to the plates following, thus causing wasters or iinperfectly coated sheets7 which must be sold at a. reduced price, causing great loss.l

In the machine above referred to, sheets of given width may be` properly fed and the oil-1inisliing rolls kept filled with the sheets of steel, so that only tirst class work is turned outI by the machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the feeding mechanism may be readily adjusted so as to feed sheets of varying widths at the proper .speed or number per minute, so as to keep the oil-finishing rolls filled with the sheets of steel.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for changing the working position of the feeding-in pusher, so that when sheets of different sizes are fed to the' tinning pot they may be carried forward until properly gripped by the oil-iinishinp` rolls, so as to be carried through and delivered from the machine.

A still further object of the intention is to provide guides for temporarily supporting the sheets of steel which are to be tinned,

and a pusher for pushing the sheets of stee which are to be tinned, which guides. an( pusher are so dispose-d relative to the supporting framework and operating mecha nism that there is a free space provided above the guides to allow the operator standing in front. of the machine to readily platre the sheets of steel on sai-d guides.

These and other objects will in part he obvious, and will in part he hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings which show by Way of illustration one embodiment of the invention.-Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a tinning pot, sho-wing. my im'- 70 proved feeding mechanism in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a partial front view and partial sectional viewof my improved feeding mechanism; Figi 3 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. el is a sectional detail, showing the manner of temporarily holding the sheets on the guides, and also the manner of adjusting the arms on the pusher which engage themetal'sheets; and F ig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the guides, showing the supporting'bars connecting the tiexible bands and the pusher arms mount-- ed on the bars. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the connection of the iiexible band to the wheel for operating the same.

rlhe tinning machine, as herein sho-wn, is merely-for the purpose of illustrating my present improvements, and it will be understood that my improved sheet-feeding mechanism may be used in connectionwith any of the well known types of tinning machines now in common use; either single or duplex; or those in which two or more sheets are fed alternately through oil-finishing rolls of al suitable lengthto operate upon them side by side.

The tinning machine herein' illustrated.' consists of a tinning 'pot l in which the sheets are brought into coating 'contact- 'with the molten tin. A iuX box 2 extends 100 down into the molten tin and the acid or flux 3 rests on the molten tin. An oil pot el also secured to thetin pot in any desired way, and extents' downwardly into the molten tin. as clearly shown in Fig. l of the 105 dra\\'ings. ll'ithin this oil pot is placed the oil 5.

'tunning in the oil 'pot are oil-finishing rolls 6, 6, which as herein shown are arranged in two pairs. These oil rolls are .driven from almain shaft-.7 in the Well known way in this type Aof machine... -The vflux boX is eXtended and curvedas at 8,

so as to assist innguidingfthe sheets of. steel through'the luX into and out of the molten tin, and between the oileiinishing rolls. These parts are of the usual construction, and. Will not need further description, in lorder that a clear understanding may be had of my sheet-feedingmechanism. i

The' sheet-feeding mechanism consists of a main frame t), Which, as herein shown, is

mounted on a suitable truck 10, supported by-Wheels l1 running on suitable rails. l havevshown herein my sheet-feeding mechanism as consisting of two feeding devices Which AWork alternately, and l have, there- .fore, provided a frame 9 at eachend ot t-he truck 10. Each ot said fra-mes consists of twov parallel standards with a connecting yoke at the top thereof. At each side of the .trame Sis located curved4 brackets 12,

vwhich are bolted to the side standards of the frame 9 and extend upwardly above the same.V

'Guides 13 on which the sheets of steel'rest 'and are moved, are secured at their upper ends to the curved brackets 12 by suitablev bolts 14, and said guids extend down-` VWardly and are adapted to be inserted in the tinning pot, as clearly shown-in Fig. 1.

These guides, as herein shown, rest on the flux box and are curved at'their lower ends,

so that the sheet resting thereon will be' carried down through the flux and the `mollten tin and then directed. upwardly,

to pass through the oil-finishing rolls: -The sheets of steel are temporarily held on the guides by Weighted rollers 15. These rollers are journaled in brackets 16, so that they may move bodily vertically, and said rollers normally rest on the guides which support the sheets of steel. The sheet of steel to be coated is placed with its lower edge against said rollers 15, and it will readily be seen that the sheet may be easily'pushed underneath the roller, which Will thus roll' along the upper tace of the sheets and allow said sheets to be moved along the guides into which, as above noted, are curved, andthese.

brackets conform to the curvature of the I Wheel, and serve to house the same and pre- Vent `the flexible band from leaving .the

fiange ot the wheel. The curved brackets 12 also, as above noted,sperve as a means for supporting the upper ei'id's 'ot the guides 13.

The guidesA 13. consist of spaced members 20, and the ilexible pushers 13 are so disposed thatone edge .thereof runs between said spaced members 20, While the sheets of steel to be coated with tin rest von the upper member and are v.moved along the same. The tlexible bands 17 are connected by two spaced cross bars 21 and 22 near thelower ends thereof.' On each cross bar near the ends thereof, are mounted two brackets 23. An ar'in extends through one pair ot brackets, and an arm 25 extends through the other pair vof brackets. These arms may be secured in adjusted position by set screws 26. -The outer end of each of these arms is forked as at 27. One lmember of the fork 27 extends above the plane of the guides 13,-

While the other member of the fork extends below said plane. It will thus be seen that as-the flexible bands are movedl back and 'forth in the guides 12, the pusher arms 24 and 25 will engage the sheets-of steel on the sup11 ortingguides 13, by means ot the forked ends 27 thereof, and the sheets will be pushed underneath the temporarily sup porting rollers, and into and through the tin pot, in the manner fully set forth in the patent above referred to.

As a means for operating thevpusher wheels 18, l have provided a segmental' gear Said gear 28 is mounted, as herein shoern, on a bearing pin 29, which is supported by the frame 9 of the machine. The segmental gear 2S meshes with a pinion 30 keyed on the shaft 19 Which supports the pusher Wheels 1S. The segmental gear is oscillated by ar link `13. @ne end .of this link is pivotally connected to the supporting arm ,tor saidsegmental. gear, and the other end ot the link `is pivoted toa crank arm 32 on a shaft 33, which shaftA is journaled in bearings in the frames 9, 9.

The crank arm 32 for' operating the segmental gear at one. end of themachine, is oppositely disposed from lthe crank arm operating the segmental gear at the other end of the nia-chine, so that as the shaftv 33 is rotated, the segmental gears will be oscillatedvin opposite directions, and, therefore, While one pusher is carrying a sheet through the tinn'ing pot into the oil-finishing rolls, the other pusher is being retracted to receive a sheet. lThe shaft 3? is rotated b f a shaft 34, which is connected thereto by suitable pinions and 36, (see Fig. 3).' Said shat't is also mounted .in siiitable bearings in the frames Said shatft 3st is provided with a hand'wheel 3T, so that the machine may be turned when desired by hand.

The shaft 34 is operated, as herein shown, through a sprocket chain connection 3S with a sprocket Wheel 39, mounted on the end noeegecs sizes may be fed to the tinniug pot in proper ing rolls.

timing, relative to the speed ot'the oil-finishshaftis also iournaled .in bearings 44 carried by the 'frame 42. r'the shaft 43 is connected by a sprocket chain 45 with the main shaft 7', clearlyv shown in F ig. 3. 0n thesha'ft- 48 are keyed av series of gears 46, which are of different diameters. The shaft 4() carries aspline 47, and the gear Wheel 48is mounted on the shaft 40, and is free to slide along the spline 4? thereon. Said gear wheel48 is located between the arms of a yoke-shaped bracket 4 The arins of the yoke-shaped bracket 49 extend downwardly, and a pinion or gear wheel 50 is journaled in the lower end of said arms an'd is in mesh with the gear Wheel 48. yThe bracket 49 may be swung about the shaft 40 as an axis, and the gear wheel 50 brought intornesh with one of the gea-r wheels 46.

The trame 42 carries a" cross bar 5l, which is provided with a series ot apertures 59.

The'yokashapedbracket 49 carries a locking pin 53, which is adapted to engage one of the apertures 52 and thus loclr the bracket.

with the gear 50 in mesh with one ot the gears 46. The pin not only holds the bracket with the gears in mesh, but will also prevent the brackettrom sliding longitudinally on the shatt'flt). l Said pin, as herein shown, is normally spring pressed into cngagement with the aperturesA by a spring and may be readily withdrawn from the apertures by thehandle The operation of my machine will be obvious' from 4the above description. The sheets of steel to be lcoated with tin are laigl by the operator on the guides 13 against the rolls l5. The bracket 49 is released by pull ing the pin 53 from the aperture 52 inthe bar 5l and the gear 48 slid laterally on the shaft 40 until brought into proper relation with the gear 46 on the shaft 43. which 'will give the proper speed to the pusher tor feeding the sheets of the length which it is desired to feed to the tinning pot.- rPhe gear 50 is-then thrown into mesh with the gear 46, and the bracket locked in this position. As the main shatt- 7 ot the tinning pot rotates, ithe shaft 45 will rotate, and through the sprocket chain connection 3S and shatt 34 impart a rotation to the shaft 33. This shaft will oscillate the Isegmental gears, whichin turn will reciprocate theA pushers on the supporting guides 13. First one pusher and then the other wil move tor- Ward, bringing the forked artis into con tact with the edge ot the sheet ot steel.v and thus 'convey the same untlein the tem-n porary holding rollers down 'into the molten tin and through the molten tin to a point Where it will be grippedby the oil-finishing roll and carried from the pushers and delivered trom the machine. lll/*hen di'erent sized sheets are to be 'ted to the tinning pot, the bracket 49 is adjusted so as to bring the gear 5G into mesh with the proper gear 46 on the shai't 43.

By the above mechanism, it will be seen that l am able to feed sheets ot varying sizes at such a speed as to lreep the-oil-iinishing .rollers constantly filled with the sheets of steel, and thus regardless ot the size of the sheets, l have constructed a sheet-feeding mechanism which will cause the tinningvpot to turn out sheets which are comparatively tree from wasters ln order that the sheets of differentwidths i may be carried orvvard.- a suilicient distance to be gripped by the oil-nishing rolls; I have provided means for varying the working position or reciprocating position of the engaging ends or the pusher. As herein shown, l may accomplish this b v loosening the locking setv screws 26 and shifting the position ot the arms 24and 25 relative to the flexible bands which reciprocate said arms. By moving these arms outward, I `am able to carry a narrower' sheet Vforward until it is gripped by the oil-linishing rolls, While by moving the arms in the opposite direction, l am able to regulate the reciprocation or the pusher so as toavoid any pos-l sible buckling of the sheety by the reason of any variation in the' speed of travel of the pusher, .and the surface speed of the oil nishing rolls. As another' means for varying the Working position of the engaging end of .the pusher, l may Vremove the supporting pin Q9 for the segmental gear 2S, thus dropping the segmental gear out of mesh with the pinion 30, so thatv the pinion 30 may be turnedfand the pusher properly positioned, after which the segmental gear will be again brought into mesh with the pinion and the pin replaced. By this means l am able to change the entire working position of the pusher and approximately adapt the same tor any size sheet of steel. It will also be seen that by my structure wherein the supporting trames E) andthe curved brackets 12 which support the curved guides 13 are below the upper ends ot the guides, and all the operating mechanism is also below the upper endsot1 the guides, l have formed a machine wherein the opera-tor may stand in iront of the same and place the sheets ot' steel on the guides. ln other rtords.l this V.construction of trame and location of operating parts is such that a free space is provided above the guides which allows for the easy feeding of the machine. y

is above notedi the feeding machine is mounted on' Wheels which are" 'supported on fio? rails Anysuitable mea-ns may be provided -i'or holding the machine in proper position rela-tive to the tiniiiiig pot.. iis herein illus- 4`trated, I have provided straps which encirclevt-he Wheels and hold the saine from mo'veiiieiit on. the rails. By the removing o;t said straps andthe removal of the sprocket chain for driving the shait of the feeding mechanism, I am able to move the entire feeding mechanismto one side, so that free access may be had for the cleaning or re pairing of the t-inning machine. n

It will be obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made, Without departing 'from the spirit oi? ymy invention, as set forth iii the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. [A device for eedingmetal plates to a tinning machine including in combination, guides on which the plates rest and are moved, a pusher for engaging and moving` the plates on "the guides, means for i'ecip rocating the pusher, and means whereby the periodicity of the pusher may he changed for feeding different size plates, so that the plates of one size may be kept substantially the same distance apart as the plates or aie other size.

2., A device for feeding metal plates-"toit" tinning machine, including iii combination, guides on which the plates 'rest and are moved,a pusher for engaging and moving` the plates on the guides, means for giving the lpusher r`ecipi'ocations of a. constant length, and means whereby the reciprocating position of the Work-engaging end of the lpusher may be changed for dilercnt size plates, whereby plates et varying sizes may be fed into gripping contact by the rollers of the tinning machine. y

3. A device for feeding metal plates to a tinning machine including in combination, guides on which the plates rest and are moved, a pusher for engaging and moving the 'plates on the guides, means for giving said pusher reciprocations ot a constant length, whereby sheets of varying sizes vare brought into griiriping contact' bydie rollers of the tinning machine, and means whereby the periodicity ot the pusher may be changed for :feeding different size plates, so that the plates ot' one size may be spaced substantially the same as the plates of another size.

4l. 2i device for feeding iii-etalv plates to a tinning machine, including in combination, guides on which the plates restand are moved, a pusher for engaging and moving the plates on the guides, means for reciprocating said pusher, .including a` segmental gear, means for oscillating said gear, and means whereby the speed ot travel of said segmental gear may be changed `whereby the periodicity of the pusher may be changed misere for feeding different size plates, so that tho plates of one size may be kept substantially the saine distance apart as the plates of another size.

A device for feeding metal plates to av guides on which the plates rest-1 and are vmoved, rollers for temporarily holding said sheets on said guides, means tor supporting' said rollers, whereby they may yield verti-` cally, a pusher t'or engaging said plates and uioving'the saine beneath said rollers, and ineens tor reciprocating said pusher.

A device t'or feeding metal plates to a ,tinning machine, including in combination,

guides on which the plates rest 'andare moved, a pusher for moving the plates on said. guides,'said pusher including tlexible' members, bars connected to the free ends of said flexible members, brackets supported by sa id bars, and arms adjustably mounted in said brackets, and having means for engag' ing said plates.

'70 tinmug machine, including iiicombiiiation,

7. il, device for feeding metal' plates to a',

tinniiig machine, including in combination,l

guides on Which the plates rest. and are moved, a pusher tor moving the plates on said guides, said pusher vincluding i'ieXible 'members, bars connected to the free ends of said flexible members, brackets supported by said bars, and arms adjustably :mounted in said brackets, and having a forked end, one, member o t which extends'above the plane of said guides for engaging said plates.

8. A device for feeding metal plates to a tiiiiiing machine, including in combination, guides on which the plates rest and are moved, a pusher for moving said plates on .said guides, means for operating said pusher inclut'iing a plurality of gears of ditlerent dialnet and an adjustable gear adapted. to be brought into coperation with any one oi said first named gears, whereby the periodicity oit the pusher may-be changed for Jfeeding different size plates, so that plates of one size may be kept substantiallythe saine distance apart as plates oil-another size,

9. A, device for feeding metal plates to 'a tinning machine, including in combination, guides on which the plates restand are moved, a pusher for movin-g said plates ou said guides, meansfor operating said pusher including a plurality ,oit gears of diii'erent diameters, an adjustable gear adapted to be brought into ccperation with any one of said first named gears, whereby the periodicity ot' the pusher may be changed for feeding diiierent size plates, so that plates ot one size may be kept substantially they saine distance apart as plates of another size, and means :tor shitting said adjustable gear and icr locking the same in adjusted position. y

l0. A device for feeding plates toa tinning. machine, including in combination,

ico

guides on which the plates rest and are moved, a pusher, means for reciprocating said pusher including a shaft, a gear splined on said shaft and movable longitudinally thereof, a bracket fulcrumed on said shaft and. movable with said gear` a second gear carried. by said bracket and meshing with said firstnamed gear, a second shaft. a plurality of gears of different diameters mo-untguides on which theplates rest andl are.

moved, al pusher, means for reciprocating said pusher including a shaft, a gear splined on said 'shaft and movable lomgitudinall)7 thereof, a bracket fulcrumed on said shaft and movable with said gear, a second gear carried by said-bracket and meshing with said first named gear, a second shaft, a plurality lof gears'of different diameters mounted onsfsaid second shaft, means whereby said bracketmay be shifted so 'as to bring said second gear into mesh with any one of said gears on said second shaft, and means for locking said bracket with said second gear in mesh with one of the gears on said second shaft. whereby the-periodicity of the pusher may be changed for feeding different size plates, so that plates of one size may be keptsubstantially the same distance apart. as plates o-f another size.

12. A device for feeding plates to a4 tinning machine. including in combination, guides on which the plates rest and are moved, a pusher, ieans for reciprocating said pusher including a shaft, a gear splined on said shaft and movable longitudinally thereof, a bracket fulcrumed on said shaftI and movable with said gear, a second gear carried by said bracket and meshing With saidffirst named gear, a second shaft, a plurality of gears of different diameters mounted on said second shaft, means whereby said bracket may be shifted so as to bring said second gear into mesh with any one of said gears -on said second shaft, means for locking said bracket with said second gear in mesh with one of the gears on said second shaft,said locking means including a. springincassa pressed 'member and a handle for releasing -said spring pressed member, said handle also yWheels are supported, apinion carried by said shaft, a segment-al gear engaging said pinion, a shaft carrying a crank, a link connecting said crank to said segmental gear, and means for rotating said shaft.

14. A device for feeding metal plates to a tinning machine, including in combination,

a plurality of sets of guides on Which the plates rest and are moved, a. pusher for each set of guides including flexible bands,- Wheels to which said bands are attached, a shaft on which the. Wheels are mounted, a pinion on eachishaft, a segmental gear engaging each pinion, a' shaft having oppositelv disposed cranks, and links connecting each of said cranks to the-respective segmental gears.

1.5. A device for feeding metal plates to.

a tinning machine including in combination, v'guides on Which the plates rest and are moved, flexible pushers for 4 moving the plates on said guides, Wheels to the peripheries of which said flexible pushers are concerned, and curved brackets located adjacent the periphery of each Wheel for holding said flexible pushers on said Wheel.

16. The combination of a t-inning machine including a tinning pot and oil-finishing rolls, of means for feeding plates to said tinning-pct` including guides on which the plates restv and are moved, pushers for moving the plates on said guides, mechanism for reciprocating said pushers, and means whereby said mechanism may be vadjusted so that plates of different sizes may be fed into gripping contact with the oil-finishing rolls, and the distance between successive plates kept substantial-ly constant.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in-presence` of ttvo Witnesses.

llDVl/TIN KENNETH NORTON.

.Witnesses ELEANOR B. MITCHELL, J.' V. CLARK. 

